The First Mission Trip Mark 6:7-13

 

The first mission trip was Jesus sending the 12 apostles. He sent them in pairs (two by two). He also gave them authority over unclean spirits. They could cast them out of people and restrain them. Jesus not only had authority over demons, he could delegate his authority 

Jesus also gave them instructions that required them to trust God for their needs. They could take nothing but a staff and the clothes and sandals they wore. They could not take food, a bag, or money. Can you imagine going to another city or country with nothing but the clothes you have on and a walking stick? 

Jesus also told them when they came to a village or town, to stay with a family in their house, and to stay in that place until they left town. If someone refused to put them up, the disciples were to shake off the dust of the town as a testimony against them. This was what Jews did after leaving a Gentile town. It is a symbol that they take nothing from that town and leave them to God for judgment.

They Twelve went as instructed. They preached the need for repentance, cast out demons, and healed the sick. (12) 

They were expanding the kingdom of God. 

This story is interrupted by Mark telling of the death of John the Baptist, another "sandwich" in this gospel. The conclusion of this story will be told after the section on John. 

JESUS REJECTED AT NAZARETH: MARK 6:1-6

 

Nazareth Rejects Jesus

6:1-6

Jesus left Capernaum and went to Nazareth with his disciples. This was where he grew up. 

On the Sabbath, he went to the local synagogue. He taught. Likely, he read a scripture and began to explain it in a sermon or homily. For example, in Luke 4:17 shows Jesus reading a passage from Isaiah and explaining it to the congregation. 

The people in Nazareth were astonished. Their comments indicate that they noticed good things about Jesus:

*he taught with authority and depth (where did he get these things)

*what is this wisdom given to him

*he did mighty things (how are these done).

So, Jesus taught well, evidenced wisdom, and did miraculous things. These made an impression. 

But the people could not reconcile his deeds with their knowledge of his history:

*he was a carpenter, never apprenticed to a rabbi for his theological education (today’s equivalent would be not attending seminary);

*he was the son of Mary (maybe a claim of illegitimacy?);

*his brothers and sisters lived there in Nazareth.

He was a local boy who became famous and seemed to have special gifts of teaching and doing miracles. But, because he was a local boy they could not accept these things about him. They took offense at him. (3)

Their astonishment did not lead them to faith, but to offense. 

Seeing that they took offense, Jesus said that a prophet was not without honor, except in his hometown and his family. The same man that had thousands of people coming out to hear him teach and who had people come from all over to be healed by him, was rejected by his own.

We have already read of Jesus’ family opposing him. They had previously come to Capernaum and sought to seize him. They said he was out of his mind. (3:20-21) They may have spread lies about him in town. Or possibly the town’s people just could not a local boy being anything but a poor workman like his father. They saw Jesus as totally human, but did not acknowledge that he was wholly God.

As a result of their objection to him, Jesus could do no mighty works. Few people believed in him and came to him for healing. Only a few did, and he healed those. 

This rejection was so strong that Jesus marveled at their unbelief. 

The story begins and ends with amazement. The people are amazed at Jesus’ teaching and he is amazed at their unbelief. 

In response to their unbelief, Jesus left Nazareth and went to various villages to teach. (6)

We cannot know who will receive Jesus and who will reject him. Some we think will believe, do not. Some we think impossible to believe, do. 

So, we proclaim the gospel to all. 

MIRACLES & FAITH: MARK 5:2143

 Jairus and Jesus Part 1

5:21-24

This set of stories contains 4 miracles of Jesus. We have studied 2: (1) calming the storm (4:35-41); and (2) casting out demons (5:1-20).

Today there are 2 more. The main narrative is the healing\resurrection of a man’s daughter, but the story is interrupted by the healing of a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. That story is the middle of the sandwich, inserted in the middle of the story of healing the child. 

The setting is back on the west side of the sea of Galilee, Jesus having left the east side after casting demons from a man. Again he was surrounded by a great crowd. (21) 

Jesus was approached by a ruler of the synagogue named Jairus, who fell at his feet and implored Jesus to come and lay hands on his daughter to heal her, as she was dying. 

It is a remarkable scene. Jairus was likely a Pharisee, given that he was a ruler of the synagogue responsible for the worship that went on there. The Pharisees were generally opposed to Jesus. 

Yet Jairus came believing that Jesus could heal his daughter. He may have seen Jesus heal or at least heard of it. 

As a ruler of the synagogue, Jairus was a fairly important man in town. Yet, he came to Jesus with humility and sincerity. He fell at Jesus’ feet. 

So Jesus went with Jairus. (24) He was committed to ministering to human needs as well as his preaching.

A Sick Woman Interrupts

5:24-34

Although Jairus was in a hurry to get Jesus to his daughter before she died, they were interrupted by a sick woman. She had been bleeding continuously for 12 years. She had seen many doctors and only gotten worse. She had spent all her money on treatments. 

This woman suffered both pain and shame. Since she was bleeding, she was deemed unclean by the Jews. (Leviticus 15) Not only that, anyone who touched her was unclean. She could not go into the temple or synagogue. She was isolated from the community. She was not supposed to go out in public and was not supposed to touch anyone, according to Jewish law. 

However, in her desperation to be healed, she went and touched Jesus’ garment. She probably touched the tassels at the bottom of Jesus’ robe. She had heard reports of him healing.(27)

She came to Jesus in faith, believing he could heal her even if she only touched his clothes. (28) And she was immediately healed. (29)

Jesus did not scold her for coming to him and touching him. Instead, he commended her faith and blessed her (go in peace). (34)

Why did Jesus do this? Why did he take time out to heal this woman when he was being taken to heal a girl who was at the point of death?

Jesus gave an object lesson to Jairus in this event. In the face of a seemingly hopeless situation, Jesus rewarded a woman’s faith by healing her and changing her life. 

It might also have been a lesson to the disciples as Jesus showed that dealing with an unimportant person was as necessary as dealing with an important person.

Jesus and Jairus Part 2

5:35-43

While Jesus was speaking to the woman, someone came from Jairus’ house and told him his daughters dead. They saw no need to take up more of Jesus’ time. They may have believed Jesus could heal, but did not believe he could revive the dead. 

You can imagine the devastation of his news. Jairus must have been crushed. His hope is lost. He may have even been resentful of the interruption. The disciples and the crowd likely shared his grief.

Jesus, however, was not deterred. When he overheard the messenger bringing the bad news, he told Jairus to not fear, but believe. (36) The New International Version says Jesus ignored the news, which is a possible meaning of the Greek word, and emphasizes Jesus’ resolve to continue. Jesus had just showed Jairus that he could work even in impossible situations. Jairus needed the same kind of faith the woman had. 

Verse 37 foreshadows the big event. You can tell Jesus is about to do something big. He took only Peter, James, and John with him to see the girl. 

When Jesus arrived at the house, professional mourners were there. They were loudly wailing laments while others wept. (36) It was a common practice to hire professional mourners to accompany the funeral procession from the home to the grave. 

Jesus informed them that their mourning was unnecessary, that the child was only sleeping. (39)  He did not literally mean sleeping, but was saying that her life is not over yet. 

The crowd turned from mourning to laughing at him in derision. So, Jesus put them outside. Only the parents and three of the disciples accompanied him to the room where the child lay. 

As usual, Jesus both touched and spoke to the girl, telling her to rise. (41) To the amazement of all, she rose and walked around. (42) She was resurrected and healed.

The subjects in these two stories could not be more different. There is an unnamed woman who is the object of scorn and shame. And there is an important man who is named. But they both needed faith in Jesus, faith even in the confrontation with the impossible.

TAKEAWAYS

Jesus cared for both the socially important and unimportant equally. 

Jesus performed miracles to reveal his deity and to minister to people.

Miracles are supernatural events, things that cannot occur naturally and normally. 

Be careful not to limit God to safe and normal events - he can perform miracles. 

MARK 4:35-5:20 - JESUS PERFORMING MIRACLES

 Jesus Calms A Storm

4:35-41

The section of Jesus’ teaching ended with the parable of the mustard seed. Mark returns to the narrative of Jesus’ actions. There are 4 stories in this section. They all show Jesus doing miracles. 

After teaching all day from a boat, Jesus wanted to take the boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. So they took him. 

Notice all the detail here. They took him from the boat in which he sat, there were other boats, and Jesus slept on a cushion. These indicate a first hand account, likely from Peter. 

But while they were on the sea, a wind storm came up, which created big waves that were swamping the boat. The boat began to fill with water. The disciples were afraid it would sink. But Jesus slept peacefully on a cushion in the stern, or back, of the boat. His sleeping shows his humanity. He was likely exhausted after teaching all day.

But his sleeping also shows his trust in the Father. He had no fear of harm, knowing the Father controlled the time and manner of his death.

The disciples did not share his faith or trust. They were scared of dying. They actually chide Jesus as they wake him: do you not care that we are perishing? He was their leader and should be helping them, if not saving them. But he was sleeping. 

You have to wonder if Mark’s original audience of Christians in the Roman Empire were not in mind as Mark wrote this. They suffered. Maybe their response was doesn’t God care? 

In response to the disciples waking him, Jesus acts in a way that both meets their need and displays his glory. He calmed the storm. He exercised authority over the weather. Only God can do that. So, Jesus manifested his deity. 

One of Mark’s purposes in this gospel is to reveal the deity of Christ, to show that Jesus is God. 

Compare this story to the story of Jonah and notice the similarities. In both, God’s man is on a boat in the sea and there is a storm. Both Jonah and Jesus slept in the boat during the storm. In both, the others roused the sleeper to save them. Jonah was to pray and Jesus to act. In Jonah, God calmed the sea. In Mark, Jesus calms the sea, showing his deity. Jesus did what only God can do. 

There may also be an allusion to Psalm 107:23-32 where the Lord raised a storm on the sea, then stilled it when men cried out to him.  

The disciples reacted to this display the way people often do when confronted with the divine: they were filled with great fear. 

MARK 5

Jesus Exorcises Demons

5:1-20

After Jesus calmed the sea, the disciples continued with Jesus to the eastern shore. A man came out to see him who was demon possessed. 

The demons had the following effects on the man:

*he lived among the tombs with the dead

*he was so strong no one could bind him & he could break chains

*he cut himself

*he cried out all night.

He was miserable and self destructive. The devil will use receptive people to do what he wants, but he will always leave them broken and miserable. All humans are created in the image of God and the devil always seeks to destroy that image. 

From a Jewish perspective, there is a strong measure of uncleanness. The Decapolis was populated with unclean Gentiles. They raised pigs, which were unclean animals. Then there was the presence of a man possessed by unclean spirits. He lived among the tombs and Jews believed contact with dead bodies made you unclean. 

Yet, Jesus went there. It even appears there may have been demonic opposition in the form of the storm and now the demon possessed man. But Jesus will again bind the strong man. He invaded the kingdom of Satan and expanded the kingdom of God.

This man ran at, or maybe to, Jesus. (6) He was driven by the demons. They called themselves “Legion” there were so many of them. They were afraid of Jesus. They, through the man, fell down before Jesus, recognizing him and his authority. They begged for mercy. They did not want to be sent out of the country.

The demons begged Jesus to send them into the pigs. (12) So he did. But the pigs then rushed into the sea and drowned. 

The result for the man was that he was clothed and in his right mind. (16) He wanted to go and be with Jesus. Jesus told him to stay and tell what the Lord did for him and how he had mercy on him. So he did, and became an evangelist throughout the Decapolis area, telling what Jesus had done for him. (20) 

He is an example for us. God has done much for us in giving us eternal life. He has extended mercy for us through Jesus Christ, not consigning us to spiritual death for our sins, but giving us salvation. 

The result for the herdsmen was that they also went and told people what Jesus did. But they were afraid. They asked Jesus to leave. And he did, crossing the sea back to the western side. 

MORE PARABLES ABOUT THE KINGDOM: MARK 4:21-34

 The Lamp & The Basket

4:21-25

The context here is still the appearance of the kingdom of God and its breaking into the kingdom of the world with the appearance of Jesus. It can be confusing since Matthew 5:14-16 uses some of the same language but in a different context with a different meaning. Luke 11:33 uses some of the same language in yet another context. Jesus could use similar statements at various times to convey different points. 

Although the English versions are very similar in the wording about the lamp, in the Greek Mark’s is different. It literally reads “does the lamp come in order that it might be placed under the basket or under the bed?”. The lamp is the subject rather than the object of the sentence. 

For example, Young’s Literal Translation says: “And he said to them, `Doth the lamp come that under the measure it may be put, or under the couch -- not that it may be put on the lamp-stand?”

Given the context and sentence construction, we see that the lamp is Christ. There is Old Testament precedent for this image, as God and the Messiah were referred to as a lamp, as was God’s word. 

Jesus is the lamp of God who has come to bring light to the world. Light is a symbol for revelation or knowledge of God. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5) Jesus himself said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

So, while Jesus is at least partially hidden at the time of the story, he will be made manifest. His human form hides his glory. His humble origins hide his role as king. But, for those who hear his message, as emphasized in his instruction about the soils, these things are made manifest. As verse 23 says: “he who has ears to hear, let him hear”. Those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God had ears to hear. 

Plus, at the end of the age, his glory will be fully revealed and recognized by all. 

Jesus ended this teaching with an admonishment: Pay attention to what you hear”. (24) The doorway to the Kingdom of God is through hearing. 

The last part of verse 24 is a Jewish saying that Jesus applies to this situation: “with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still ore will be added to you”. The inference is that God will measure it out and add it to you. The Jews did not like to say God’s name out loud for fear of taking his name in vain.

Mark applies the saying to the understanding of Jesus’ parables. Those to whom the mystery of the kingdom is given will receive the ability to understand it and enter it. Those who fail to receive Jesus will not understand and will not enter into the kingdom. The understanding o the kingdom of God is given by Christ. 

Paul understood this truth. He prayed that the Colossians would have the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2-3)

Seed and Harvest

4:28-29

This is another parable concerning the sowing of seeds and the harvest. It is much shorter that the parable of the sower. This parable is also about the kingdom, as Jesus says in verse 26. 

The parable of the sower emphasized the process of growth. This parable is about the contrast between the small beginnings and the big result.

The sowing of some seed is a common place and small thing. It parallels the life and ministry of Jesus. He was born of humble parents in a humble setting. He grew up in a small village. The beginnings of his ministry, his bringing in of the kingdom, was small. 

The emphasis here is also on God growing the kingdom. The farmer “knows not how” (27). He goes about his business of sleeping and rising and the seed sprouts and grows. 

The seed grows in an orderly fashion from blade to ear to the full grain. (29) All of this is done in God’s timing. It is the same for the kingdom. 

Then the harvest comes. Harvest is often a symbol of judgment. Here the sickle is the symbol of gathering the saints to the Lord and the unbelievers to judgment. For example, Joel 3:13:

Put in the sickle,

for the harvest is ripe.

Go in, tread,

for the winepress is full.

The vats overflow,

for their evil is great. 

Revelation 14:14-20 also uses the image of sickle harvesting the earth “for the harvest of the earth is ripe”. This is a metaphor for “in the fulness of time”, meaning at the time God designates.

The Pharisees tried to bring in the kingdom by rigid adherence to the law. The Zealots tried to bring in the kingdom by military force. Some today try to bring in the consumption of the kingdom by breeding red heifers. But God decides the time for the return of Jesus and the end times judgment. 

Parable of the Mustard Seed

4:30-32

This parable reinforces the idea that the kingdom starts very small. The mustard seed is a tiny seed. In Palestine it was a symbol of small things. But the small seed will, in contrast, grow into a plant that is large and strong. 

The kingdom of God will also be large, containing many people. 

John saw a great multitude in heaven. (Revelation 7:9)

Conclusion

4:33-34

Jesus continued to speak “the word” to them, but in parables. He explained their meaning privately to the disciples. These verses concluded Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom. 

Takeaways

The Pharisees tried to bring in the kingdom by rigid adherence to the law.

The Zealots tried to bring in the kingdom by military force. 

But God inaugurated the kingdom by sending Jesus “in the fulness of time”. (Galations 4:4)

Jesus is always building his kingdom.

Only by faith in Christ are people able to understand God’s word fully. 

God will determine when the final harvest comes & we do not speed it along.

The harvest will be great - multitudes will be with Christ for eternity. 

PARABLES & THE KINGDOM - MARK 4:1-20

 

Structure wise, chapter 4 contains another one of Mark’s “sandwich” narratives. In verses 1 through 9, he tells the parable. Then in verses 13-20, he explains the parable. Inserted in between, in verses 10 through 12, is a teaching on the kingdom of God.

Mark 4:1-2

Jesus Teaching With Parables

The crowds continued to follow and press in on Jesus. He used this as an opportunity to teach. So he got into a boat and had the crowd sit on land and listen to him. There is a place called the Bay of Parables or the Sower’s Cove that is a natural amphitheater. It has been proven that a voice will carry from a boat to the land. 

Jesus taught them many things in parables. This was Jesus’ preferred form of public teaching. There are about 60 parables in the gospels.  A parable takes a common subject to illustrate a truth. 

The most common subject of Jesus’ parables is the kingdom of God. He used things from ordinary life to illustrate truths of the kingdom. That does not mean they were easy to understand. In fact, they were not generally understood by any who did not have faith in Jesus.

Parable of the Sower

4:3-9

This parable is often called the Parable of the Sower. Some call it the parable of the soils, but that can lead us to miss the point of the parable. Parables normally have one main point.

Here the sower is a farmer sowing seeds. This was done by hand. There was no plowing. The farmer just scattered seeds on the ground.

Here some of the seeds were eaten by birds. Others sprouted but were burned by the sun and died. The third group sprouted but were choked by thorns. So, three fourths of the farmer’s labor was lost. 

Yet, there was a great harvest. The seeds that produced grain produced a harvest from 30 to 100 times the number of seeds planted. (9) 

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

4:10-12

The verses are the insert, the filling of the sandwich. Here Jesus explains the his purpose in teaching through parables.

Verse 9 is a good lead in to this explanation, as Jesus says “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”. He implies that some can hear and some cannot.

Those who get this explanation are his closest followers, the Twelve and some others. (10) He said they were given the secret of the kingdom God. A secret, or mystery, means a knowledge of God that humans cannot attain by natural means. It is “given” to them, not attained by their own devices. 

This is similar to Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 2:14: “The natural person does not understand the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned”. 

These followers are those on the inside. The others are on the outside. This is another example of Mark’s inside vs. outside contrasts. 

Those on the outside receive parables. Jesus applied Isaiah 6:9 to the situation. Isaiah 6 contains the commissioning of Isaiah as a prophet. In verse 9, God told Isaiah that his message would not be accepted by Israel and would, in fact, harden hearts. The Israelites would hear, but not understand. They had rebelled against God and could not and would not understand his word.

God’s words were a judgment upon the people of Israel who had turned away from God and did not believe him. So, Jesus’s words indicate a judgment on those of that generation who did not believe in him. 

The secret Jesus’ followers were given is that the kingdom of God comes in the person and preaching of Jesus. Remember, the first words of Jesus that Mark records are: “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”. (Mark 1:15) 

God chose to reveal this secret of the kingdom in veiled way, understood only by those of faith who recognize Jesus as the Son of God.

The Explanation

4:13-20

The sower is Jesus. The seed is the word of the gospel. The soils are those who hear in various ways. 

Some have the word taken away by Satan immediately upon hearing. (15) Some hear and receive it with joy, but fall away when troubles come because they really have no root. (17) Some hear, but cannot leave the desire for money and things to put Jesus first. This was the case of the rich young man of Mark 10.  

The good soil represents those  those who hear the word and believe and come into the kingdom. They accept it. (20) They bear much fruit. They become a great harvest. 

The point of the story is that the kingdom comes in slowly, one believer at a time, but grows exponentially over time as the word is preached. Many refuse the gospel, but those who believe will become a great multitude. As Paul said:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”